Research Medical Center, the Missouri hospital that violated federal hospital visitation laws regarding same-sex partners is owned by none other than Bain Capital. The facility is owned by HCA Healthcare. HCA is owned by HCA Holdings, Inc. whose largest shareholder is Bain Capital, Mitt Romney’s company. Romney is a proponent of letting states either provide the “benefit” of same-sex hospital visitation or take it away. He is even quoted as telling a group of LGBT parents, “I didn’t know you had families,” when he spoke to them as Governor of Massachusetts.

So, is HCA Healthcare encouraging violations against same-sex couples? Is the mandate to discriminate against gays coming from Bain Capital? From Mitt Romney himself? Or did the hospital just have an “uh-oh” moment?

People should all get the same medical treatment at any facility in any state. It’s the law.

This notion that federal law is somehow optional is…unbelievably stupid. The United States of America has a federal government, like it or not. While the states have their local governments, they still all answer to the federal government.

Brian Cook, spokesman for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said in a statement regarding the incident that took place at Research Medical Center, “All Americans are guaranteed the right to receive hospital visitors that they designate, and there are specific protections in our rules for same-sex couples across the country.”

Not only was Roger Gorley removed from his spouse’s bedside illegally, he was assaulted by Kansas City Police. His hearing aides were broken and he was shoved to the floor with a cop’s knee in his back. He was arrested, fined and then allowed back in to see his husband because he had the law on his side all along. You can make a donation to Roger Gorley’s legal defense fund here.